AWB Guatemala 2014: 2013

Friday, December 27, 2013

We're Almost There!

Hi everyone! For those of you reading this who don't know me, I'm Sarahann, and I'll be one of the trip participants for the AWB Guatemala trip. I'm really excited for the trip to begin (18 days and counting) and to get to know the group better.

Over the last few months, I've enjoyed participating in various pre-trip activities, and my favorite was definitely the pre-service trip to Eco City Farms. Before the trip, I always thought organic and sustainable farming as a unattainable, almost whimsical term that environmentalists threw around. I had no idea that small, organic farming was going on right in my backyard (literally)! At the farm, I turned a pile of compost and worked with the sifter. After our service, we were given a tour around the farm. My favorite part was the mini green-house that housed rice, fruit trees, and other tropical plants you wouldn't expect to find in College Park, Maryland. I was also surprised to learn that Eco City Farms was able to feed 20 families on only 1/3 of an acre! It definitely changed my perspective of the importance and capability of eating locally-grown food, and I hope to get more involved with sustainability efforts in the future.

Looking forward, I can't believe that I'll be in Guatemala in less than a month. I've never been to Guatemala before and am looking forward to the opportunity. I'm probably most nervous about the language barrier--as I love talking with and getting to know people, and I know language will be a challenge considering my near novice Spanish speaking skills. For the rest of Winter Break, I hope to crack open the good ol' high school Spanish books to try to brush up on some basic vocabulary and gear up for the trip.

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season! And, because countdowns are always super fun, here's a countdown to the 2014 AWB Guatemala trip :)

COUNTDOWN WIDGET

Preparing for Round 2

I still can't believe that I was chosen to return to Guatemala as an experience leader - my time in Los Andes last year definitely still stands as one of the highlights of my college career. However, as wonderful as last year's trip was, I believe that this year's will be even better. The members of "Team Guatemala" seem to be diverse in interests but also passionate about community service and learning more about the world. I'm so excited to get to know all of you better during our time together!

(For those of you who have never been on an AB trip before and are nervous about making friends, don't be! The group will grow surprisingly close during our ten-day trip, since we'll be together almost all the time.)

The only thing I think I'm nervous about this year is being an effective leader. We will, of course, be doing a lot of education and reflection during the trip and I want to make sure that it is meaningful and beneficial for the entire group. I am also nervous about my Spanish skills, as I haven't used the language in a large capacity since last January, but hopefully Duolingo can help me refresh and get in the Spanish mindset before we depart!

I got a nice rolling suitcase with four wheels for Christmas (many thanks to my Maw Maw and Paw Paw!) and I can't wait to start packing for our adventure. I'm hoping to pack even lighter than I did last year - hopefully I can find a sleeping bag to bring that can fit in my suitcase without issue.

Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about the trip, or suggestions for games or fun activities we could do as a group. 19 days left until we depart for Guatemala, hurray!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Caitlin's Pre-Trip Post

I applied to join Alternative Breaks because I enjoy service and wanted to experience something new! I shot for the stars and picked Guatemala because a) I am a strong advocate of the environment and b) I have never been to Central America.

Last year I volunteered at ECO City Farms, where I learned not only the importance of sustainability but also the lesson of service: Others can help serve those in need best by listening to what they ask for. I hope to apply what I have learned from service in the College Park community to Guatemala, and I cannot wait to share the knowledge I will learn from Los Andes.

During a pre-trip meeting, where we watched the documentary “Living on One Dollar,” it made me feel very appreciative of everything I have, including education, food, and shelter. All the Guatemalan residents in the documentary, however, had hope. Their hopeful attitude and willingness to learn inspires me to help serve their community and learn more about how we can assist their country’s economical growth in a sustainable manner.

Less than a month away from the departure date when our group meets with Sarah, Chris, and Lizeth to travel to Antigua! Now that finals are over, I can spend all my time on Duolingo.com learning Spanish. So far, I have the basics covered and “Mi nombre es Caitlin.”

Friday, December 6, 2013

A Few Miscellaneous Thoughts

I originally intended to take a registered course abroad this winter, but since I didn't necessarily need the extra credits, I decided I should do something just as exciting but more community-oriented. That's when I came across the Alternative Breaks program, and it looked like the perfect "alternative"! I was really surprised when I got an email notification that I had been accepted into my first-choice program, the Guatemala trip! It's hard to believe that the trip is now just over a month away.

We watched a documentary at our second meeting: "Living on One Dollar". The film followed the efforts of 4 college friends to make ends meet on a budget of one dollar a day, in a small village in Guatemala (Fortunately, our living conditions won't be quite as harsh when we travel there in January!). The documentary was very eye-opening, not only about the struggles that some Guatemala residents go through, but also about the crippling socioeconomic forces that make it difficult for them to improve their situations.

At our most recent meeting, our trip leaders were generous enough to provide us with snacks, but I sensed that there was an ulterior motive… Chris and Sarah's choice of Tostito's tortilla chips as a snack was a subtle way to introduce us to the Latin American culture we will soon be exploring. The selection of chocolate-dipped cookies, made from the Cacao bean, was a disguised attempt to educate us about the native flora of Central America. Our trip leaders were clearly trying to be sneaky, but I saw right through it.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Meeting #3

Introductions (Two Truths & A Lie)
Spanish

Review Sheet - check out the alphabet & number songs, plus Duolingo!
Charades using our new vocab

Pre-Departure Packet Overview

Sarah will send this out via e-mail.
Things that we emphasized:

This is a substance-free trip; DO NOT bring alcohol or other drugs.
When in the markets, please try not to haggle for an insanely low price - be fair because this work may be the shopkeepers' only source of income. Also, try to check to see if the product is actually made in Guatemala and not China. Lastly, if you want to take a picture of the shopkeepers and their goods please ask them first!
There will be some sellers in/near the markets who will be relentless in trying to get you to buy an item, and may lower the cost themselves way lower than what the product is worth just to make a sale. Just try to stand your ground if you are not interested, but be polite while doing so.
Girls - although the weather will be warm, women in Guatemala generally don't wear short shorts. Please bring knee length shorts, capris, long skirts, or pants to wear most days. You can wear shorter shorts during service.
Concerning safety, please keep in mind that Guatemala is not the safest of countries. We plan on staying together as a group or in smaller groups when in the city, and not going out (especially not alone) at night. Be aware and be safe.
It's perfectly okay to want to take pictures while we're there, but please keep in mind that there is a fine line between capturing the moment and living in the moment. Just try not to go overboard with pictures!
Please mark your calendars for the AB Activation Event on April 7th at 5 PM!

Craft: Bags for Warm Fuzzies

On the trip, when you notice a good deed that someone has done, leave them an anonymous kind note that'll give them "warm fuzzies" in their bag!
If you weren't able to attend, we will also decorate bags before we leave.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

T-Minus 52 Days!

I have probably thought about this trip almost every day since I found out that I was going to Guatemala, so I have decided to start a count down! We will be headed out in 52 days! It seems like far from now but I'm sure time will fly by.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to attend recent pre-trip meetings due to prior engagements but I'm looking forward to the December 4th meeting! I have been trying to learn more about poverty in Guatemala on my own and came across this interesting article: http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/guatemala
That article discusses the link between agriculture and poverty in Guatemala, which is strongly related to our trip! Farmers in Guatemala face many challenges relating to degradation of natural resources, rough terrain, and over-exploitation of land and water resources.
The article also mentions the high rates of poverty "[i]n the ‘poverty belt' of the western plateau and the northern region, comprising the departments of Huehuetenango and Quiché (north-western region); San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Sololá and Totonicapán (south-western region); and Alta Verapaz and Baja Verapaz (northern region)." I'm wondering what areas we will be spending time in and if they correspond to any of the areas mentioned in the article.
I have never been to a developing country and am really looking forward to the culture shock that I will experience on this trip and am sure that I will be strongly affected even upon my return!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Meeting #2

Introductions
Recap of Pre-Trip Service
Documentary: "Living On One Dollar"

The movie will be screened again in College Park on Mon. 11/25 in Stamp (Prince George's Room) if you missed it!
Synopsis from the website: The film follows the story of four young friends who set out to live on just one dollar a day for eight weeks in rural Guatemala. They battle hunger, parasites and the realization that there are no easy answers. Yet, the generosity and strength of Rosa, a 20 year old woman, and Chino, a 12 year old boy gives them resilient hope that there are effective ways to make a difference.

Spanish Intro

Que Hora Es (mock soap opera using basic Spanish vocab)
Link to the review sheet
We will go over pronunciation & play Spanish charades next time!

Monday, November 18, 2013

To new beginnings...

Last Saturday, we went to Eco City Farms for our pre-trip service. Although the weather was actually pretty nice considering how freezing it was not too long ago (there you go again Maryland weather!), for some reason right when I got back I went straight to bed for a nap. I think I got a little bit sick. Thankfully it only lasted a couple of hours.

Despite how I felt after the trip, I had an awesome time at Eco City Farms. It was my first time going there and Christian, our guide for the day, was super cool! I got to mulch the soil around the plants so that the dirt wouldn't freeze over the winter.

Considering that I'm only eighteen years old, I felt pretty old when my back started hurting. It really put things in perspective - my parents love gardening and I usually don't help them out even when they ask... their backs must hurt a lot.

What I really found interesting during my time there was learning about how sustainable the farm was. The "mulch" that I put down was really just raked up leaves and branches - things that you can literally find outside your doorstep! I'm looking into a minor in sustainability, so this really related to my interests currently. I hope I get to visit again!

It was also really nice being able to work with the rest of my team members. Although the team dynamic is still in its baby steps (the awkward "hi... what's your name again?" moments), I feel already that we have such a diverse and dedicated team for this winter's Alternative Break.

I really am so excited to go to Guatemala. This already is shaping into a memorable experience... it's crazy to think that I'm only a freshman, and that an opportunity like this will only be the beginning of my college experience... and the year of 2014! What else could possibly be in store for me?

Sleeping ducks at the farm!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Pre-Trip Service

Team Guatemala had a great time at ECO City Farms in Edmonston, MD helping out with tasks such as mulching, turning and sifting compost piles, and digging a trench! Afterwards we got to take a very informative tour of the farm. It was a wonderful experience had by all!